Wednesday, 20 September 2017

Mildew and Sponge don't think much of Maudlin Towers, the blackened, gloom-laden, gargoyle-infested monstrosity that is their school. But when somebody steals the School Spoon and the teachers threaten to cancel the Christmas holidays until the culprit is found, our heroes must spring into action and solve the crime!

But what starts out as a classic bit of detectivating quickly becomes weirder than they could have imagined. Who is the ghost in the attic? What's their history teacher doing with a time machine? And why do a crazy bunch of Vikings seem to think Mildew is a werewolf?

This is the brand new series from the talented Chris Priestley. The first book, The Curse of the Werewolf Boy, will be published by Bloomsbury and will hit the shops on the 5th October 2017. Book two will soon follow as it is going to be published during the summer of 2018.You only need amble through the first few pages to see the rising pillars of gloom leading to Maudlin Towers. Here you will enter the weird and wonderful world and meet the unlikely heroes, Mildew and Sponge. This amazing adventure is illustrated throughout by the talented author. The pen and ink style complements the gothic appeal perfectly. The black and white illustrations provide an extra dimension to the story and certainly develop the atmosphere. They will definitely appeal to the younger audience.Chris Priestley welcomes the reader to the weird and wonderful world and delivers a fantastic spooky narrative by bringing together a range of quirky characters. The muddled and varied humour makes for an interesting and funny read. The character gallery is entertaining just by itself, as it introduces each character profile and personality. There is a crime to be solved at Maudlin Towers. It is down to Mildew and Sponge to detect who has stolen the school spoon. It is imperative that they catch the thief otherwise the school Christmas holidays will be cancelled. Together they unravel the mysteries, but rather weird events also unfold such as ghosts in the attic, a teacher with a time machine, werewolves and a group of Vikings in the school perhaps. This is a hugely engaging and easy going gothic story which is full of action-packed twists and turns, mayhem, madness, and nonsense. It is perfect for readers of 8+. Fans of Lemony Snickett and Chris Riddell will love this book. The mystery adventure has a bit of bite and some atmospheric realism which will captivate readers of all ages. There's never a dull moment at Maudlin Towers so grab a copy now - it is a perfect autumnal read.

Chris Priestley lives in Cambridge with his wife and son. His novels are brilliantly original additions to a long tradition of horror stories by authors such as M.R. James and Edgar Allan Poe. Chris wrote one of the World Book Day books for 2011 and has been shortlisted for a variety of prestigious children's book awards. Catch up with Chris at www.chrispriestley.blogspot.com.

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